Housing Nature Study collection

[Targhee]

I am looking for some ideas on how to house all the wonderful "things" my kids bring in from nature study (feathers, cones, leaves, shells, rocks, oh and more rocks, etc). We leave living things out in nature, but they love collecting the non-living things. At first I displayed them temporarily on a seasonal table. But they've found some really neat things (nest, animal teeth, extraordinary rocks) that it would be nice to hang on to, for future viewings, creative writing ideas, etc

 

. I saw in one family's pictures of homeschooling rooms that they used a typesetting drawer to display things - beautiful! - but when I looked for similar displays they were upwards of $60-90 with shipping, each!

 

Do you save your kids' nature finds, and if so in what?

[swellmomma]

I have seen on some blogs people using curio type shelving (the kind without the door), some propped on a table others inside an aquarium.

 

I am holding out for the printers tray but am having to wait until I can save up and they might graduate by then lol

[Mama2Many4]

We just use a shelf. I have it at child height and decorate it with colored fabric for that season. It works out fine.

[Soror]

We had a bowl last year but always needed more room. I'd like something reachable but I have an almost 2 yo as well so most things they can reach and see she can as well-

[Alessandra]

I am in same position as you are... and I am thinking about these, $$$ permitting.

 

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/collections/hobby/drawers?productId=10000332&N=72540

 

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/collections/hobby/drawers?productId=10000342&N=72540

[Kalmia]

My windowsills are filled with stones. I have bowls filled with coral. Cones and wasp nests and shells line the edges of my bookshelves. Mason jars hold pebbles and shells from particular beach trips.

 

Vases hold feathers, seed pods, pussy willows, dried flowers. Think decorating with nature. Basically, I have replaced knic-nacs with nature study finds.

 

Insects are delicate. I keep most of mine in storage in divided plastic tackle or bead containers. To display insects on the wall purchase Riker mounts or shadow boxes.

[woolybear]

The printer's trays can sometimes be found at tag sales.

 

I have used at various times: a shelf, a small printer's tray, a basket, a table. Right now I have several small collections contained in glass jars on a shelf. We have a jar for shells, feathers, volcanic rocks, pine cones, and quartz. They look very pretty and you can see them well in the glass.

[Targhee]

Thanks for suggestions!! I'm afraid I'm the type who needs it to be contained. We did seasonal table and decorating with nature (kind of) - which I LOVE, and we will still use - but our collection is getting out of hand. My kids have a hard time parting with things, too. :glare: The cabinets from container store look very nice (like a museum specimen drawer cabinet!) but are also a bit too much for me to spend. I will try local antique places and see what they have - I don't really frequent tag sales or I end up with too much stuff coming home with me :tongue_smilie:

 

So I'm now thinking that I need to have one larger family collection (I can store it in an old wooden wine crate I have), and then give them each their own container. Once their container is full they either have to stop collecting or take something out and replace it with the new item. I need something pretty economical (both money-wise and space-wise). What do you all think of a cutlery tray:

$13

$12

$10

 

Or maybe empty cigar boxes? Something they could build with Dad??? (I think we'd need some kind of basic plan though)

[Chris in VA]

Great idea, but it wouldn't be big enough for us. We have an old cabinet from a kitchen redo that we are using as a science cabinet/table (have a stool to pull up to it and we keep the microscope on the top).

 

We do baskets of rocks, bones in a tray, and (used to use) a table (nature table). But we finally had to throw out some of the shells, dead bugs, butterfly wings, pupae, bones, and wasp nests! LOL

 

I know what you mean about "extensive collections."

[LivingHope]

This from ikea looks similar to one of the drawer units posted above.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40107872

 

another suggestion for smaller items...glass jars set in a rain gutter shelf.

 

You could also refurbish an old dresser or cabinet from a thrift store.

 

check this out: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40128563

too much glass? probably...love it though for museum like displays. It reminds me that cast off aquariums would look cool filled too...as mentioned already.

 

and since we are still at ikea...check out the billy bookcases with glass doors.

 

Is this getting expensive...how about plastic toolboxes...that's what I use.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

A tackle box is great for individual collections.

[Donna T.]

My sons have a small dresser in their room that houses most of their specimens. Each drawer contains different types of things. They also use fish tanks, trays they have made from shipping boxes, and egg crates.

[ApronMama]

We use a giant tackle box for my son's rock collection. We like the portability when he wants to show it to others or bring it to Scouts when they discuss collecting. Overflow rocks--the ones my kids claim are precious but someone bought at landscape supply--go in an old coffee can. We have a second tackle box for shells.

 

So far we have left the fallen wasp nest on the front porch!

[1Togo]

We've used cigar boxes that dh got from men at work. They are sturdy and stack.

[Pat in MI]

I always wanted to have a shadow box that hung on the wall. I still have to get dh to make me one.

Blessings,

Pat

[antsam]

I've been wondering the same thing myself lately. Our collection has now exceeded the four shelves we had allotted for it between the rocks, shells, insects, etc! I found some actual insect display boxes for sale that I'm considering buying at educationalscience.com that were pretty reasonable (starting at 7.99). HTH!

 

Jodie

[FlyingMOm]

I had the same issue for years. I loved the idea of a nature table and admired those I had on blogs but just did not have a practical place for one in my home & I don't have a front porch large enough for one either. Then I saw this blog post with pictures of a nature table using a fish tank. I loved it & copied the idea! If you click http://threelittlejewells.com/2011/06/25/nature-table/ you can see pictures of our nature table/fish tank and also a link to the post that inspired me.

 

Also, the little knick-knack tray in the back, I found at a garage sale for $3. I see this pretty often at those & also at Goodwill, so you might check there for them.